New Home Improvement Products for Spring

Spring 2012 Product Guide

Thinking of getting started on a home improvement project for spring? Check out The Money Pit’s spring 2012 product guide to get the scoop on every tool and material you need to do a project around your house this season.

JAWS Home Cleaners

Here’s a new way to go green when you clean - reuse the same cleaning bottle!

Each bottle of new JAWS Home Cleaners comes with a small refill cartridge. When the bottle gets empty, add tap water, drop in an included refill cartridge, screw on the top and shake gently.

Voila - A second bottle of cleaner, from the same bottle!

This saves on plastic waste. The JAWS line has a product for cleaning the entire house – and each bottle includes a refill cartridge.

Elmer's Clamp Tape

Elmer's clamp tape is made of a self-bonding, stretchable plastic that can be used to clamp awkward or fragile items. It is stretchable up to 300% of its size and only sticks to itself.

QUIKRETE

The fast-setting, polymer modified repair mortar is specifically formulated to make structural repairs to any concrete, masonry or stucco surface.

John Deere Select Series X310

Homeowners can now get more done in their yard with less effort. The new John Deere Select SeriesTM X310 lawn tractor ($3,999) offers automotive-style power steering, hydraulic lift for easy attachment adjustment and an exclusive iTorqueTM Power System, with 18.5-hp (13.8 kW), to handle even the toughest tasks with ease. The Exact Adjust deck leveling system allows operators to use the on-board deck-leveling gauge in conjunction with a hex-key tool to level the mowing deck from a port on each side of the operator platform. The John Deere Select Series X310 also offers a best-in-class, 4-year or 300-hour bumper-to-bumper limited warranty.

Neato Automatic Vacuum Cleaners

All Neato automatic vacuum cleaners intelligently clean your home on a daily basis. They’re as thorough as you’d be, if you had the time. Neato vacuums feature the most powerful suction of any automatic vacuum cleaner and work on all floor types. Neato’s laser continuously scans the room allowing the robot to vacuum in an efficient back-and-forth pattern. They can be easily scheduled to clean as often as you wish, so you can come home to that “just vacuumed look” every day. When finished, they automatically return to their base to recharge so they’re ready to go again.

Average retail price of the products:

Neato XV-11 (pictured), $399

Neato XV-12, $399

Neato XV-21, $429

Amazoy from Zoysia Farms

Golf courses managers love zoysia grass for two reasons. It’s low maintenance while looking great even in the heat of summer. Less cost and happy golfers, that’s a winning combination. Amazoy from Zoysia Farms – www.zoysiafarms.com has done the same for homeowners for over 50 years. Get the same look and cost savings for your yard. Harvested daily from our farms and shipped to you direct! Learn more about this heat and drought tolerant grass preferred by so many professionals whose job depends on their grass looking great everyday.

Spring is the best time to start – Super Sale on now.

Phantom Screens

Phantom Screens provides retractable screen solutions that remain out of sight until you need them to preserve your view and the décor of your home. We offer insect protection and solar shading for doors, windows and large openings such as covered outdoor spaces and folding glass walls. Whether you seek to enhance natural ventilation, add comfort or maximize energy savings, our variety of products and custom options balance home functionality with uncompromised design. Our professional consultants and installers make it easy to bring retractable screens to your home. We invite you to learn more at www.phantomscreens.com.

AMPLIFI Hose Powering System by Briggs & Stratton

AMPLIFI™, a new hose powering and storage system by Briggs & Stratton, features an electric motor and pump, a five-setting spray nozzle with Detergent-on-Demand™ capability, and an attractive, durable hose storage container. AMPLIFI delivers three times the pressure, 4.5 times the force and two times more flow than a typical garden hose. It is the only system that has gentle settings, ideal for completing routine watering of flowers and powered settings tougher cleaning tasks. Because it is stored outside, it is always ready and requires no set-up time. AMPLIFI is available at Lowe’s for $199.

Generac's Guardian Series 20 kW Home Standby Generator

Generac’s Guardian Series 20 kW home standby generator is one of the most powerful air-cooled generators on the market today – providing whole house power protection for many homes. In addition to essential circuit coverage, the 20 kW unit can back up multiple air conditioners and remaining rooms in your home, such as home theaters and offices. The Guardian Series 20 kW features Generac's Nexus™ Controller, the most comprehensive available; Generac’s OHVI® engine, the only engine designed specifically for generator use; aluminum, all-weather enclosure; simple field conversion from natural gas to LP; TruePower™ Technology; QuietTest™ Mode; and more.

Rockwell VersaCut Saw

VersaCut™ mini circular saw weighs only 4 lbs. and rips through sheet goods in no time at all. VersaCut ensures one hand operation due to its inner and outer blade guard design. It delivers quick and precise cuts, even plunge cuts in sheet goods, flooring, plastic, ceramic tile, slate or aluminum. The 3-3/8 in. diameter blade has a maximum depth of cut of 1-1/16-in. The single-speed, 4-amp saw has a no-load speed of 3500 rpm and is equipped with a Laserguide™.

Moen Twist

The invigorating Twist™ handheld shower is a 4-in-1 showering experience that allows customers to switch between the different spray patters without having to touch the water flow. The showerhead simply swivels around the handle with a flick of the thumb to change modes. It also offers a transitional style that coordinates with most bathroom décor. The four, high-performance spray preferences include:

Sashco eXact color

eXact color™ is the easiest and fastest way to create contrasting colors or perfectly match your caulk to any custom colored paint. Simply mix in any latex paint, stain or universal pigments for an eXact color match. No tools required! eXact color is a high-quality, super-elastic sealant from Sashco®, the makers of Lexel® and Big Stretch®. It’s super elastic with powerful adhesion so won't tear, crack or pull away. Suggested retail: $12.89

Gorilla Glue

Most people don’t use glue on a daily basis, so when they need it, they want it to work without any hassle. The new Gorilla Glue 2 oz. anti-clog cap is now as reliable as the glue.

The improved cap boasts a two-fold approach to improved sealing:

Gigaset L410

The Gigaset L410 brings a new level of flexibility. With this hands-free clip, you can easily talk and do other things: walk through the garden, work at your desk, cook in the kitchen or relax on the couch. Just clip the wearable speakerphone to your shirt collar for hands-free talking in perfect sound quality. With its intuitive handling, you can transfer calls to the Gigaset L410 from your handset with one button click or take calls directly on the clip. The L410’s features make it an environmentally friendly Smart Extra, saving energy and reducing radiation. Enhance your home telephony! Average Retail Price: $119.99

ORG Garage Storage

ORG garage storage products blend smart design with the same level of quality that homeowners expect in other parts of their homes. At the center of the product line are heavy-duty cabinets, engineered for the tough garage environment. ORG uses quality construction like full back panels, one-inch thick sturdy shelves, and doors with euro-style hinges that open wide. Other options to personalize storage include dovetail drawers, durable hardware, full extending baskets, wall organizers, and work surfaces. ORG garage products are manufactured in Holland, Mich., by The Stow Company, and available through authorized ORG dealers who provide professional design and installation. Pricing varies. Standard cabinet starts around $500. Design shown is about $4,000 installed.

Delta Faucet WaterSense

H2Okinetic Technology® is an innovative shower technology that uniquely shapes and affects the water it delivers, thereby enhancing the user’s shower experience. The technology creates a drenching shower while conserving water by oscillating the water droplets. Water droplets are larger, enabling them to retain heat longer and enhance the comfort level of the shower.

Luxe Plank

Luxe Plank™ from Armstrong Floors features the most realistic hardwood visuals available in resilient. Not just another “pretty face,” it’s just the thing for high moisture areas of the home like bathrooms and laundry rooms. It’s water proof! Luxe Plank is so easy to install, anyone can become a do-it-yourselfer. It utilizes Armstrong’s exclusive LYNX™ technology, a combination of peal-and-stick tabs and pressure sensitive tape. Simply peel, place and press. Each plank attaches to the planks beside it – not the floor beneath it – so there is no need for complicated tools or adhesives. Luxe Plank retails from $2.59-5.49 psf, uninstalled.

DuPont

Many homeowners are looking for ways to update and refresh their homes without an extensive remodel and they want to be environmentally responsible. New DuPont™ Corian® countertops and backsplashes are a quick and easy way to achieve an entirely new look for kitchens and baths without the expense of a big remodeling project and they're manufactured by a company committed to reducing its environmental footprint. The DuPont™ Corian® Terra Collection of solid surfaces is an example of DuPont’s commitment to sustainability, as the solid surface colors in this collection now contain up to 20% recycled content. The non-porous qualities of DuPont™ Corian® solid surface material make it easy to clean, which helps homeowners keep their kitchen and baths Springtime fresh.

Leviton Universal Dimmers

Leviton introduced state-of-the-art Universal Dimmers, engineered to provide homeowners optimal control of current and emerging incandescent, dimmable CFL and dimmable LED bulbs without sacrificing performance. Recognizing that newer, energy-efficient bulbs have specific needs for effective dimming, Leviton worked with bulb manufacturers to develop dimmers that are tested and proven effective to function in harmony with the latest bulb innovations. The new devices give retailers, distributors and contractors the ability to offer a single lighting control capable of properly dimming next-generation lighting sources while remaining backwards compatible with current bulbs. For more information, visit www.leviton.com/universal.

DuPont

DuPont™ Mold and Mildew Stain Remover for Natural Stone is perfect for getting bathrooms with natural stone guest-ready. This non-bleach cleaner is specially formulated for natural stone like marble, travertine and limestone and won’t harm or degrade the sealed surface while removing unsightly stains in tub surrounds, on floors and countertops. DuPont™ Mold and Mildew Stain Remover for Natural Stone also cleans grout, ceramic tile, and porcelain tile. Pair this with other products from DuPont™ Stone Care to tackle kitchen and bathroom chores to keep the natural stone in your home looking as great as the day it was installed. Learn more about caring for natural stone at www.stonecare.dupont.com. Average retail price of DuPont™ Mold and Mildew Stain Remover for Natural Stone is $6.88 for a 16 fluid ounce spray bottle.

RYOBI ONE+

The RYOBI ONE+™ P846 3pc Lithium-Ion Combo Kit delivers more value and performance to the world’s most popular tool system. This best in class combo kit is powered by lithium-ion technology – which provides lighter weight and longer runtimes than ni-cd batteries.

Solar Powered Attic Fan from U.S. Sunlight Corp

The Solar Powered Attic Fan from U.S. Sunlight Corp is designed to reduce heat build-up in your attic in the summer and remove harmful moisture in the winter. With the Solar Controller, you can monitor your attic environment and fan’s operating status. Additionally, the Solar Controller allows you to power your Solar Attic Fan after dark and continue removing attic heat build-up. The Solar Attic Fan and Solar Controller received “Best Sustainable Product of 2011” from BUILDERnews and “Best of Show” at the 2011 National Hardware Show. Qualifies for a 30% federal tax credit. For more information, visit www.ussunlight.com. Average retail price: $350

The Voice of Color

PPG Pittsburgh Paints® released The Voice of Color® mobile application. The free app not only showcases the entire Voice of Color collection, but is the first to allow homeowners to order 8"x12" sample color sheets that can be shipped directly to their homes right from the app itself free of charge.

SOG PowerDuo

Creating versatile, innovative, and dependable products is what SOG has become known for. The new PowerDuo is a hybrid between our knife mentality and tool sensibility. It has a split personality. It is neither knife nor tool, but an equal combination of both nested in a compact form. Take away the pliers and you have a multi-blade pocketknife with a full size locking blade, screwdrivers, can/bottle openers, tweezers, etc. Take the knife side away and you have SOG’s renowned Compound Leverage pliers with one-handed flip opening capability. Put the two together and the PowerDuo gives you options in an ever-changing volatile world. MSRP $80.00

Oxygenics PowerMassage Combo

The 35-spray PowerMassage Combo harnesses the power of Oxygenics technology into 35 dynamic and pleasing sprays. It uses the responsive Intellever to switch between the sprays effortlessly, and the elegant styling adds the perfect touch of refinement to any shower. The PowerMassage Combo uses the 3 way diverter to choose between the wall mount, hand shower or both simultaneously to provide an invigorating shower. The PowerMassage Combo is designed to be eco-friendly and economical, saving up to 70% in water and energy consumption compared to traditional shower fixtures.

Empire Level 2994 Rafter Square

The attractive 7” blue rafter square is much easier to read and more durable than traditional silver squares because of its highly visible laser-etched graduations that will last for years without fading. The 2994 is constructed of 6063 anodized aluminum so it will not rust, corrode, bend or crack. It features a thicker edge than other products available in the market, which creates a safer saw guide.

GE Generator Systems 13-kilowatt home generator

The 13-kilowatt home generator from GE Generator Systems is equipped with the Symphony II power management system, which powers a home’s needs during a power outage by electronically controlling electrical loads so homeowners can power more with a smaller generator.

SOG PowerAssist

SOG makes the only multi-tools in the world with one-handed flip opening and gear driven patented Compound Leverage for double the plier power…the new PowerAssist takes these principles to a new level. This is the first multi-tool in the world that houses not just one but two assisted opening blades. Start to open the main blades, which are available when the tool is closed, and S.A.T. (SOG Assisted Technology) takes over to complete the opening. When not in use, blades lock closed using our patent pending side release. It’s never been easier! Flip open the tool and experience the precision of the heavy-duty plier capability and large wire cutters. Smooth handle surfaces promote comfort on even the toughest jobs. MSRP $119.25

CHANNELLOCK

With a measurement of 8.38” in length and a weight of less than one pound, the 8” 368 high-leverage linemen’s plier by CHANNELLOCK® is perfect for those wiring on construction jobs where larger linemen’s pliers may not fit. Unlike competing brands, the 8” 368 high-leverage linemen’s plier also provides noticeably more leverage and features knife-and-anvil cutters to ensure proper cutting edge alignment. This means less force is required to cut through high-tensile-strength fish tape or wire. The 8” 368 high-leverage linemen’s plier also provides even more utility with its useful, built-in crushing area.

Empire Level e902 All-Purpose Cutting Guide

The redesigned e902 All-Purpose Cutting Guide features heavy-duty aluminum rails for durability and can be used with a circular saw, router, jig-saw, utility knife or sabre saw. The new cutting-guide features a new handle to aid in positioning work correctly, and a quick-to assemble connector to make it a snap to set up. The All-Purpose Cutting Guide can be extended to 98” to obtain accurate cuts over long distances. It includes two rails, and a joiner plate with handle and two C-clamps.

TruDefinition Duration Series Shingles from Owens Corning

Shopping for new shingles is the perfect opportunity to increase the curb appeal of your entire home. Your roof can make up more than half of your home’s exterior, so it should complement your home’s style and exterior color scheme. The Design EyeQ™ Visualization experience from Owens Corning allows you to explore the possibilities of potential new looks for your entire exterior. Visit www.OwensCorning.com to upload a photo of your home and test out a wide variety of shingle options, including our new, stunning and high-performance TruDefinition Duration Series Shingles.

RotoZip ZipSaw

The RotoZip ZipSaw is outfitted to handle applications in a variety of materials, including tile, wood and metal. From installing new flooring to removing old bathroom grout, this powerful cutting tool combines the best features of angle grinders and jamb saws to tackle straight, curved, notched and flush cuts with ease. The size and shape of the ZipSaw enable users to get into small, narrow spaces without much effort. It also makes it possible to cut into material without a guide hole or support material, as well as cut along awkward angles like corners and baseboards.

Elmer's Wood Glue MAX

Carpenter’s Wood Glue Max is the only stainable wood glue on the market. It's also waterproof, and its superior strength formula delivers professional results. The wood will break before the glue bond will! The formula is suitable for both interior and exterior applications.

Bondera Tile MatSet

Bondera Tile MatSet is a double-sided, peel and stick, pressure-sensitive adhesive that makes do-it-yourself tiling projects cost-effective, quick and mess-free, and was named one of Lowe’s Top 10 Innovative Products in 2011. With Bondera there is no heavy lifting, stripping, or demolition which means no VOCs, odors or dust. Bondera is water-tight and mold resistant, making the product effective even in areas with constant moisture like the shower and sink areas. To use, simply apply the adhesive to any clean, flat, level surface including drywall, plywood, laminate and Formica®, and peel, stick and grout for a perfect finish. Average Retail Price: $35.00, price varies depending on roll.

Pearl's Premium Ultra Low Maintenance Lawn Seed

Pearl’s Premium Ultra Low Maintenance Lawn Seed is a revolutionary lawn product, requiring no chemical fertilizer and far less water and maintenance than other grasses. This drought-resistant lawn seed is saving money, water and time for property owners. Pearl’s Premium seed blends commonly available seeds mixed in very specific patent-pending proportions to create special benefits that can yield up to 75% savings in maintenance and watering across the country. It can also secure up to 3 LEED credits. Moreover, the lawn seed substantially reduces the carbon footprint by sequestering carbon, and can also be used for green roofs.